I just got the following via email:
Gongwer News Service
www.gongwer-oh.com
REPORT NO. 236 VOLUME 72 WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2003
CONCEALED-CARRY BILL, OTHER SIGNIFICANT MEASURES PASSED AS GENERAL
ASSEMBLY
ADJOURNS FOR YEAR
Concealed Handguns: Following several delays, a conference committee
late Wednesday night reported the concealed-carry bill with a handful of
amendments that represented attempts to breach differences between the
legislature and Governor Taft.
The conference report cleared the Senate on a bipartisan 25-8 vote and
passed the House by a 69-27 margin. The conference committee
recommended the report 5-1 with Rep. Lance Mason (D-Shaker Heights) dissenting.
Working from the Senate version of the bill, conferees adopted
amendments that let permit holders carry loaded guns in vehicles if the gun is in a holster, in the permit holder's plain sight or locked compartment or case.
The report further says permit holders may not remove or attempt to
remove loaded handguns from the holster or lockbox at the time he or she is operating a motor vehicle.
The conference report additionally declares that non-permit holders in
a vehicle with a loaded handgun must follow law enforcement officer
directions if stopped for law enforcement purposes.
Conferees also agreed to language that allows for the issuance of
90-day permits for people who have reasonable cause to fear a criminal attack.
People applying for such permits must sign an affidavit declaring they
have reasonable cause to fear an attack.
Members also included provisions that allow journalists to determine if
a permit has been issued to any individual. Reporters seeking such
information would have to declare their name and title, employer information and state
that the disclosure of the information is in the public interest. The
language requires journalists to separately request the permit status
of
each person in question.
Chairman Jim Aslanides (R-Coshocton) further amended the bill to allow
increases in temporary permit fees to cover actual permitting costs,
not to
exceed $30.
Senator Marc Dann (D-Liberty Twp.) questioned provisions regarding
journalists' ability to review permit records. He said the panel should
have
granted reporters access to county-wide permit databases.
On the Senate floor, Senator Steve Austria (R-Beavercreek) encouraged
support for the measure that has been under review for several years.
He
said the proposal is a safe and responsible measure that sufficient
support
in each chamber.
Senator Eric Fingerhut (D-Cleveland) called action on the conference
report
"a really bad idea," warning members that they will come to regret
taking
the action. He said increasing the number of guns carried in public
places
would lead to more accidents.
A similar debate unfolded in the House, where Rep. Michael DeBose
(D-Cleveland) questioned the general direction of the bill as well as
the
limits on journalistic review of permit records. "The press is severely
limited in obtaining information on this conference report," he said.
The
lawmaker added later, "We're sending the wrong message, especially to
young
people in the inner city, on how to handle matters."
Mr. Aslanides said the measure properly balances the rights of citizens
to
protect themselves with safety precautions such as the provisions
requiring
training. "It works in 44 other states," he said. We have not heard
compelling testimony that it will not work in Ohio."
Speaker Larry Householder (R-Glenford) said the changes were agreed to
by
the Senate, but he laughed heartily when asked if the governor was on
board.
"I believe we've probably wrung the rag dry," he said of attempts to
appease
Mr. Taft's concerns.
Asked about a the need and potential for a veto override on the bill,
which
Senate President Doug White (R-Manchester) indicated earlier in the day
would be difficult to accomplish in his chamber, Mr. Householder said
he
probably had the votes in the House. Noting the override was a "tool"
for
the Legislature that was simply part of the process, he shrugged off
suggestions that it was a big issue: "We act like it's this big taboo."
Hours before the conference committee convened, legislative leaders
changed
the composition of the panel. Senator White appointed Senator Austria
to
take his seat on the committee; Speaker Householder replaced Rep. Bob
Latta
(R-Bowling Green) with Rep. Jimmy Stewart (R-Athens).
Copyright Gongwer News Service (614-221-1992)
